New York City’s Peppermint will go down in history as the first openly trans finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Other than being honestly and authentically herself all season long, she also slayed the competition — proving there is room for trans women in the drag community and on the hit show.

But that doesn’t mean Peppermint didn’t have her fears. “I saw some other trans sisters who work as drag queens when they were going through medical transition before me,” she says. “I witnessed a lot of them losing their work in the clubs and they weren’t able to maintain.”

“I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to afford to transition, and that I was going to lose my work because of how people were talking about me and gossiping,” she tells NewNowNext. “Eventually I said, ‘Fuck it, I’m going to go through my transition, live as a woman, be out as a woman.’ People then started to get it. I snuck it in.”

From lip syncs to live performances to great looks on the runway, she did more than sneak her way into the fab top four.

Here are 11 reasons why Peppermint deserves to win the crown:

1. Peppermint’s workroom look was one of the best.

2. Her Gaga Bowie look was pretty great, too.

3. Um, remember her sickening Britney Spears impersonation?

4. She made us laugh with her interview reactions all season long.

5. She’s a true sister to her fellow queens.

6. Sure, she wasn’t perfect the entire competition.

7. Peppermint stumbled from time to time.

8. But when she lip synced for her life, she proved how it’s done.

9. Peppermint grew from the beginning to the very end.

10. And the end is when she shined her brightest.

11. The time has come…

… for a trans woman to be crowned winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Team Peppermint!

Before we head into the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine, we’re compiling the top reasons why each queen deserves the coveted crown! Read our lists for Trinity Taylor, Shea Coulee and Sasha Velour.